Services

Help & Care is a registered charity that supports people and communities to live the lives they choose. We are here to provide you with information, advice and support that will enable you to take control of your life, make decisions and find support that is right for you.

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As a charitable organisation, Help & Care relies on the local community. If you wish to support us to change lives and improve communities, there are lots of ways you can help. We always welcome new volunteers, fundraisers, stock for our charity shop or legacies and money donations.

Work With Us

At Help & Care we want to make a difference to people's lives and welcome applications from all to join our team. If you are interested in applying for a role at Help & Care, please use the vacancies page to apply.

Pharmacy and prescription services in Purbeck

There are a number of chemists that will collect a prescription from your surgery and keep it at the Pharmacy to await collection or deliver to your home if you cannot get there because of an emergency, or you are elderly or housebound. This is a free service but is only available to patients of participating surgeries. There are also a number of GP Surgeries that now have an on-site Pharmacy making it easier to collect your medicines when you visit your GP, and may also deliver your medicines to your home if you are unable to collect them due to your health condition, age, or disability.

Paying for your prescription

Current prescription charges (April 2013) are £7.85 per item (£15.70 per pair of elastic hosiery), so if you need medication on a regular basis charges can mount up very quickly. There are a number of schemes available to help ease the burden of paying for repeated prescriptions.

Free prescriptions

You are entitled to free prescription charges if you meet the following criteria. • You are aged 60 or over.

• Have a continuing physical disability that prevents you from going out without help from another person and have a valid Medical Exemption Certificate (MedEx)

• Hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability.

• You have one of the following medical conditions and hold a valid Medical Exemption Certificate (MedEx):

You are also entitled to free prescriptions if you or your partner (including Civil Partners) are named on, or are entitled to, an NHS tax credit exemption certificate or valid HC2 certificate (full help with health costs), or you receive either:• Income Support

• Income – based Jobseekers Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or

• Pension Credit Guarantee

• Universal Credit

Free prescriptions for cancer patients and renal dialysis patients

Exemption certificates will be issued to patients who in their doctor’s opinion are receiving treatment for:• Cancer

• The effects of cancer

• Or the effects of current or previous cancer treatment

Renal dialysis patients who (in their doctor’s clinical judgement) require a permanent fistula (permanent means lasting indefinitely) requiring an appliance or surgical dressing, are entitled to medical exemption if they have completed form FP92A and a doctor has signed the form to confirm the condition.

Applying for a Medical Exemption Certificate (MedEx)

To apply for a Medical Exemption Certificate ask your GP for an FP92A form. Your GP, hospital doctor, or service doctor will sign the form to confirm that your statement is correct. At you GP’s discretion, a member of the practice who has access to your medical records can also sign the form.Your certificate will be valid from one month before the date that the NHS Business Authority receives the application form. The MedEx lasts for five years and then needs to be renewed. You may receive a reminder that your certificate needs to be renewed. If you don’t receive a reminder it is your responsibility to ensure that your MedEx is renewed.

Help paying for prescriptions due to low income

How do I make a low income claim?

The NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS) may be able to assist you with NHS costs. The scheme covers:

• Prescription costs

• Dental costs

• Eye care costs

• Healthcare travel costs

• Wigs and fabric supports

You can apply for the scheme if your income, savings, investments or property (not including your home) do not exceed the qualifying capital limit of £16,000, or £23,500 if you live permanently in a care home.

Depending on your circumstances you will qualify for help based on a comparison between your weekly income and assessed requirements at the time the claim is made. You can receive “full help” (HC2 certificate) or “partial help” (HC3 certificate). You will qualify for full help if your income is less than or equal to your requirements, or only exceeds your requirements by no more than half the current prescription charge. If your income exceeds these limits, you may be entitled to partial help. The HC3 certificate will show how much you need to pay towards your prescription charges.

The rules governing who is eligible are broadly the same as those for Income Support. However, the assessment also takes into account council tax support and housing costs, so you may also get help even though you don’t qualify for Income Support.

You don’t need to apply if you or your partner:

• Get Income Support

• Get income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Get income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Get Pension Credit Guarantee Credit

• Are named on or entitled to an NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate

as these benefits will already entitle you to help with NHS costs.

To apply for an HC2 or HC3 certificate you will need to complete an HC1 form and send it off in the envelope provided. You can obtain an HC1 form from Job Centre Plus offices, hospitals, your GP surgery, your optician or dentist. You can also make a claim and findfurther information by contacting 0300 330 1343 to speak to an adviser who can help you complete the form, send it to you to sign and return in the envelope provided. Information and online forms are also available at http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/nhs-low-income-scheme.aspx Certificates are valid for between six months and five years, depending on your circumstances.

Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPC)

Prescription prepayment certificates (PPC) are available to help spread the cost of paying for your NHS prescriptions from your GP or dentist, they do not cover items such as wigs or surgical supports issued by hospital services. They are available as a three monthly PPC (£29.10), which will save you money if you need four or more items over a three month period, or a 12 month certificate (£104.00) which will save money if you need fourteen or more items over a twelve month period.

PPCs are paid for by ten monthly direct debit instalments and will enable you to obtain all your prescriptions for approx. £2 per week. Apply for a PCC by picking up a form from your GP or Pharmacy or by telephoning, writing to, or going online to:

Some pharmacies will be able to sell you a PPC but you will not be able to take advantage of the paying by direct debit option if you buy direct from a pharmacist. Further general information about help with health care costs is available at: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/help-with-health-costs.aspx

Obtaining a refund on prescription charges

You need to apply for a refund on prescription charges within three months of paying the charge. Ask your GP or pharmacist or hospital doctor for NHS receipt form FP57 when you pay for your prescription especially if you are applying for free prescriptions or help with prescription costs.If you have paid for a PPC and have now become exempt from paying for prescriptions, you may be able to get some or all of the money back for your PPC. Send a copy of your certificate along with a letter saying why you need a refund to: